Calipari on blowing a 21-point lead: “I’m coaching a different type of team”

Has one of John Calipari’s teams ever blown a 21-point lead?

“Historically, if my teams get up ten, it’s like 102,” Cal said. “I’m coaching a different type of team.”

Kentucky was an inconsistent mess tonight, looking brilliant for 15 minutes and horrendous for 25. Calipari chalked it up to his team still not making winning plays on a regular basis.

“We’re not there. Still, we’ve got a good team, obviously we’ve shown it. We showed it for 15 minutes today and then we revert and then — we just didn’t have the fight that you need to go on the road and win.”

Calipari was extremely animated on the sidelines, but when asked if he was “going crazy” after tonight’s loss, he shrugged.

“No, I’ve done this 30 years and I’ve had teams up and down. I’m just ready to get on the plane because I don’t want to bus back,” Calipari said of the severe weather about to hit Knoxville.

“I’m just trying to demand that they do it the right way and I’m asking them why did you do that, why didn’t you do what we’re teaching, why are you trying to break off, why are you — then when they do the same thing three times, I get a little more aggressive. Then I’m — obviously you’re not hearing me, so I’m going to say this louder and a little bit closer to your face so you hear me then.”

Then what do they say?

“Mumble, mumble, mumble,” Cal joked.

Did Cal think UK was past this sort of performance?

“No, because it’s a long season. Here’s what I say. We had four unbelievable efforts in a row. It’s hard to have ten of those. But when you get up 21, you know, alright we ain’t giving this up. I’m not taking this shot, I’m not losing this man, because we’re going to win this game. They don’t think that way.”